Fix You
by SpringHiller09
Summary: What if it was Fred who helped save Hermione from the troll first year? Fred and Hermione begin a very strong friendship Hermione's first year at school, almost like a brother and sister. But, what happens after Hermione isn't just the "geeky little witch" anymore and Fred begins to see her in a different light? And to make things worse, she's the girl Ron has feelings for.
1. Like a Train on a Track

**Chapter One: Like a Train on a Track**

* * *

**Hermione's POV**

"You ready pumpkin?" My father asked me as we neared the neared the portal. I nodded excitedly as he placed his arms on my shoulders, bracing himself for the brick wall we were just about to go through.

I was a normal eleven year old. I went to school, owned a goldfish I'd won at a fair, and had a small group of friends. Oh, I was also a witch and was going off to a school just to learn magic. My parents were both muggles...people without magic...and they suspect I got my magical genes from my fathers side. They were both shocked and even told me I wasn't allowed to attend Hogwarts. They eventually came around and I was boarding the Hogwarts Express for the very first time today.

"That was...fun." My mother laughed after we'd crossed the barrier. "Odd feeling."

"Sure was." My father agreed. We got my things on the train and my mother pulled me in for a tight hug, almost like she'd never see me again. I tightly hugged her back before giving my dad a squeeze.

"I'll write to you first so you can use that owl." I told them since they wouldn't be able to find an owl themselves.

"Sounds good, darling." My mother choked out, letting the first tear fall.

"You'd better get going." My father urged as a couple of redheads came through the portal. They looked to be twins and a little older than me, but I just rolled my eyes at them. Typical boys even for wizards. My mother gave me my small backpack and gave me another tight hug before I stepped up onto the train. Soon after, the train began moving and we were off to Hogwarts.

It was difficult to hold my composure.

"Can I sit here?" A small, squeaky boy asked me after we'd been driving for a while. "No one else would let me."

"Sure," I smiled as I looked back out of the window, just trying to picture how grand Hogwarts was. Of course I'd read _Hogwarts: A History_ a dozen times already, but being there would be an entirely different story.

"I'm Neville." The boy squeaked. "What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger." I smiled at him as I saw a small toad leap out of his bag. He was able to grab it just in time before it jumped into the trains corridors.

"This is Trevor." He smiled, looking down at the amphibian. "My gran got him for me when I got my letter."

"He's a very...nice toad." I sighed in awkwardness, not really knowing what to say. We stayed quiet for most of the ride until I excused myself to change into my school robes since we'd be arriving at any moment. Once I came back, however, Neville was in a frenzy, shouting his toads name over and over as he crawled around on his hands and knees, looking for his pet.

"I can't find him!" He squeaked once he saw me. "Will you help me look?"

"Sure," I smiled. "I'll go see if anyone else from the cabins has seen him." I told him as I walked off to a nearby cabin with two boys who looked about my age sitting in it. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

"No," The little redhead said with an appalled tone in his voice like I'd done something wrong by asking them. I looked down and saw his wand in hand and grew excited to see if he'd actually be able to do a spell.

"Are you doing magic?" I asked. "Lets see then." I told him as I sat down on the opposite seat. He took a big breath and cleared his throat as he raised his wand.

"Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" He shouted, but nothing happened except for annoying the rat he was trying to hex.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course I've only tried a few simple spells myself, and they've all worked for me. For example," I stated, raising my wand at the other boy with the broken glasses. "Oculus Reparo." I said and the tape on his glasses disappeared as they mended themselves.

"Whoa," He whispered and then I noticed his scar. I'd read about him and his tragic backstory in old _Dailey Prophet'_s I'd accumulated when I got my letter. His scar was just as famous as the story of how he'd gotten it.

"Holy Cricket, you're Harry Potter!" I exclaimed, causing him to turn red. "I'm Hermione Granger...and you are...?" I asked the redheaded boy sitting next to him.

"Ron Weasly." He told me proudly with his mouth full of candy. How boy like.

"Pleasure." I sighed, completely disgusted with how he could talk with his mouthful of food. "You two better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

"Bossy." I heard Ron whisper to Harry, making him shrug.

" You've got dirt, on your nose, by the way, did you know?" I asked as I pointed to the side of my nose. "Just there." I told him before turning around to go back to my cabin to grab my back. As I was walking towards the cabin, I ran into a boy about a head taller than me. I looked up and recognized it to be one of the boys I saw coming through the portal earlier. I also recognized the same red hair and facial features Ron had and assumed they were related in some way.

"Sorry about that," He laughed, his voice changing between deep and high pitched. I guessed he was beginning to go through puberty and was about the age of a third year.

"It's fine." I smiled, turning red. Of course this would happen to me on the train...and to a boy older than me of everyone on the train.

"Come on, Fred." The other one urged, pushing passed me.

"Coming George." He called. "Well, see you!"

"Yeah," I sighed as I watched him follow his brother to the front of the train. "See you."

We arrived at the train station just a little bit after Neville found his toad in his pocket, and were greeted by what looked to be a , then!

"First years! This way, please! Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up!" He shouted and I noticed Harry and Ron walking up to him. He led us down to the lake where the boats were to take us to the castle for the first time.

As we neared the castle, my breath was taken away. It was lit up with a thousand candles and it looked just as I had imagined. Big and old. Like something you only see in muggle history books. We were helped out of the boats and led up to the school and into hallway, waiting to go inside the Great Hall. An older professor came up and hushed us all.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She greeted. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup"

A few minutes after she greeted us, she came back to lead us into the hall. The doors opened magically and all the first years were gasping in delight. The sky was clear and the stars were shining down brightly. It was enchanted to represent the night sky, something I'd learned in _Hogwarts: A History. _Professor McGonagal pulled a scroll out of her robes and began reading names down the list.

"Hermione Granger!" She called after a girl got sorted into Ravenclaw. I took a deep breath and continued to tell myself relax, even though it wasn't doing anything to calm me. She placed the old witches hat on my head and it began thinking of where to place me.

"Gryffindor!" It shouted, and I calmed down. Gryffindor was my favorite house from the reading I'd done and even though I would have been happy with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, I was glad to be a Gryffndor.

As I walked to the table where the scarlet and gold tied kids sat, I couldn't help but notice the redhead, Fred, sitting with his twin and another redhead sitting at the table. I took my seat next to a fellow first year and tried not to look at him. But, it was hard not to. He may have been a silly teenage boy, but there was something about him. I shook off the feeling as I heard Ron being sorted in the same hat and had an odd feeling the two of us would not be very good friends.

"Good thing, Ron!" Fred mocked. "Dad would have killed you if you were put anywhere else."

"Shut up!" Ron argued. "Mum and Dad said I could be sorted anywhere and they'd be happy."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're in Gryffndor, huh?" The third redhead sneered as Ron gave him a push.

Harry was later sorted into our house and the older students acted like a superstar was going to be sleeping in the same dorm, and not just some eleven year old. The feast began when the food rose up onto the table and everyone dug in. I had never been surrounded by so much food in my life, but I was grateful for it. That train ride was a long one.

Percy Weasly, a Gryffndor Prefect, showed us to our dorms. He gave us our passwords and showed us up to our sleeping quarters.

* * *

Soon, it was the end of October and I was completely miserable. I would never admit it to anyone, not wanting to give Ron or anyone else the satisfaction, but it was true. I was one of the only firsts years who knew how to do anything and I got teased for it. I was hoping when I came to the wizarding world, things would be different and I wouldn't have to deal with the teasing.

I was very, very wrong.

Ron found every possible chance to mock me for my brains or criticize me for being a 'know-it-all' The only person who seemed to be one my side was his older brother Fred, funny enough. He never did much. But the occasional punch to the arm or slap on the head when Ron said something out loud made me feel a little better.

Until Charms class on Halloween. I guess I had been being a little bit of a showoff, but that didn't give him the right to talk about me like he did to his friends.

"It's Leviosa, not Leviosar." He mocked as I walked behind him, Harry, Neville and Seamus. "Honestly, she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!" He yelled as I brushed passed him, finally hitting my own breaking point. I knew I wasn't the most like girl in Gryffndor, or in Hogwarts for that matter, but he didn't have to talk about me like that.

I ran into the first bathroom I could find and locked myself in the first empty stall and just began crying into my hands. I'd always been able to keep my composure and just brush everything aside. But, I guess after eleven years of brushing my feelings aside, it was time for them to come out.

I wasn't just crying because of what Ron had said. I was crying for the little four year old on the playground, building a perfect sandcastle using the magic I didn't know I had. A girl a year older came over to me, called me 'freaky-little-perfect-Granger' and kicked my sandcastle over, giving me my first glimpse of how mean girls could really be.

But, I held my head up high and just began reconstructing my structure and had made another one before my mother called me over to go home. But, that wasn't the last time I saw Penny. She was always knocking my books out of my hands at school and bumping into me. Just plain bullying, but I never said anything. I though the magic world was going to be my haven from things like that.

I was very, very wrong.

"Hermione?" I heard a familiar redheads voice ask from the door of the loo. I stayed very still and quiet in my stall, hoping her'd just get the hint and leave.

"Get out of here, Fred!" Angelina, a girl from Fred and George's year, shouted as she entered the bathroom.

"I thought this was boy's loo." Fred laughed as the door shut.

"What a little tease." She sighed as her and another girl stopped in front of the mirrors.

"A cute tease." Katie Belle laughed. They, like so many others, thought I was just a little know-it-all, but I became oddly jealous of both of them. They both knew Fred well from either Quidditch or from being his age. They left shorty after, leaving me alone in the bathroom again.

After what seemed like hours of crying and sitting in the stall, I unlatched the door after I heard someone come in. I began wiping my eyes and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the large, green feet before me. I slowly looked up and found myself eye to eye with a giant, mountain troll. My breath began picking up as I slowly backed away, hoping he wouldn't attack.

I then locked myself back in the stall just as the troll's club came crashing into the wood, causing it to crumble on top of me. I heard the doors open again, but couldn't see who it was from under all the ruble.

"Hermione!" I heard Harry's voice call. "MOVE!" He yelled and I had just crawled out of the way enough so more wood missed me when the troll plunged his club into the stalls he'd missed earlier. I looked up, expecting to see Ron at Harry's side, and was surprised to see Fred standing there with him. I managed to crawl out of the ruble and towards the sinks lining the wall.

But, the troll had already set his eyes on hurting me, and forced his club into the white, porcelin sinks, making the pipes break and causing water to go all over the place. I screamed in terror as both Fred and Harry thought of what to do next, and finally I saw Harry running up to the troll as he raised his club again. Harry grabbed onto the end of it, and he rose up as the troll dragged him up.

Harry fell onto the trolls shoulder and the troll began to fight to get him off. But, Harry had a strong grip and wasn't letting go. I could tell Harry was struggling to hold on and Fred was still thinking of his next move.

"Help!" Harry hollered as he stuck his wand in the trolls nose. Fred gave me a look, unsure what to do and I just gave him a nod to try anything he could think of. Just then, the troll grabbed Harry's feet, removing him from his shoulders and began swinging him around in attempts to hit him with his wooden club. "Do something!"

_"Expelliarmus_" Fred cried, sending the club flying through the year. He then used Wingardium Leviosa to levitate the club and hit the troll on the head. The creature stumbled forward and fell forward, almost crushing Fred and Harry.

I stood up to thank them both as a handful of professors, including Snape and Mcgonagall rushed into the bathroom.

"Oh, my." Mcgonagall cried as she saw the troll on the floor, not moving. Harry grabbed his wand from his nose and wiped off the boogers off on his robe. "What on earth are the three of you doing in here?" She demanded to know. "Fred, I expect better from you! I know you and George think everything is a laugh and you can make a joke out of everything, but leading these first years into this kind of danger is something I don't even expect you to do."

"It was my fault, professor." I told her, and both Fred and Harry looked at me. "I thought I could handle fighting the troll alone. If Fred and Harry hadn't come and found me...I'd probably be dead."

"Miss Granger?" She asked, her voice high pitched and disappointed. "Be that as it may...it was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would have expected more rational behaviour on your part, . 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment." She told me and I heard the two boys let out a soft moan.

"As for you two gentlemen I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you." She told them and big smiles both formed on their faces. "For sheer dumb luck." She snapped before leaving the bathroom.

"Come on, Hermione." Fred gestured. "Let's go get those cuts looked at."

"Okay," I smiled as Harry grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. "What is it?" I asked.

"I'm sorry." He sighed. "For everything."

"It's okay."

"No, it isn't." He sighed. "If Ron hadn't of said those mean things to you, you wouldn't have been in here in the first place."

"Exactly, Ron said those things." I sighed. "Not you...you've actually been the nicest person to me this entire time."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I always just saw you listening to Ron and Seamus complain."

"You coming, Hermione?" Fred asked. I nodded and followed him out of the bathroom. He led me up to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey stitched up the cuts I had and helped healed the slightly sprained wrist I'd gotten from rubble falling on top of me. Fred was nice enough to stay with me and walked me back to the common room.

"You know you should have just answered when I called you before supper." He told me as we neared the portrait.

"I know," I shrugged.

"Kinda glad you didn't though."

"Huh?"

"Imagine George's face when I tell him I helped beat the troll in the dungon." He laughed. "He's going to be jealous for ages...and I won't ever let him forget it!"

"Right," I laughed nervously, not really knowing what to say to a third year who'd just helped save my life. A third year who'd brother continued to torment me.

"Oh, and next time my bratty brother makes fun of you, just slug him in the face." He told me, giving me a little nudge as he said the password, letting us into the common room. He went over and met up with his twin and Lee Jordan while I stood at the porthole, deciding if I wanted to go inside.

"You coming, Hermione?" Harry asked as he walked passed me. "I talked to Ron and he promised to be nicer."

"You...you did that for me?" I asked.

"Yeah," He shrugged. "No one deserves to be treated the way he'd been treating you."

"Right,"

"Besides, he probably just has a crush on you."

"A crush on me?" I asked, completely taken back.

"Yeah," He laughed. "I mean there was a girl in my muggle school who I ran into every single day, every chance I got because I wanted her to notice me. It was dumb and hurtful, but she noticed me."

"What did she do?"

"She finally slapped me and told me to get a life." He laughed. "The point is...us boys...we aren't good with feelings."


	2. Let It Go

**Chapter Two: Let It Go**

* * *

**Fred's POV**

"So let me get this straight." Lee laughed as we sat by the fire together after the troll had been taken care of. "You and Potter...a first year and a third year...knocked out a full grown mountain troll? And made it out _alive_?"

"Yep." I laughed as I saw back on the couch. "You'd better believe it, Georgie."

"Well I don't." He told me. "How could you have knocked him out?"

"Oh, a little of this." I laughed. "A little of that."

"I gotta hear this from another...more trustworthy...source." George told me, scanning the common room. "Granger! Potter! Come here!"

"George, don't torture the poor kids." I told him.

"I just wanna know if I'm getting the right information." He laughed as Harry and Hermione came up to us.

"Yes, George?" Harry asked.

"Did you and my brother really knock out that troll that had been in the dungeon?"

"Yes," Hermione told him instantly. "I'd be dead if it weren't for them."

"Huh, you were telling the truth, Freddie." He laughed as he sent the two off. I watched as they went and sat back down next to Ron, and shook my head. He'd been so mean to the poor girl and I couldn't imagine why. I mean, sure she was kind of a know-it-all and she may have been a bit annoying, but she didn't deserve that. Plus, he was the reason she was in the bathroom earlier that night.

"Let it go, Fred." George sighed. "Ron is who he is. You can't change him."

"I don't wanna change him," I sighed. "I just wanna know why he was so bloody mean to her."

"You've got to admit, she's an annoying know-it-all." Lee said. "Even Oliver said it...and he's four years older than she is."

"That doesn't give my little prat of a brother to torment her." I told them and neither could argue that. "He's the reason she almost got killed tonight."

"He didn't tell her to go to the bathroom and wait for a troll, Fred." George told me and by the tone of his voice, he thought I was being too harsh on him.

"No, but if he hadn't upset her so much, she wouldn't have been in there."

"He has a point." Lee agreed as I watched Ron and Harry laugh about something while Hermione sat there, not knowing what to so. Harry had been nice and invited her into his little group of friends. But, they'd been hanging around together for the last two months. I could tell Hermione was uncomfortable being with them. Especially since only two of them, Neville and Harry, had actually kept their mouths shut.

"So, did McGonagall give you and Harry any credit for stopping the troll?" George asked after the first years had gone up to bed.

"Five points each."

"Five points?" Lee asked, sounding appalled. "I got more points than that for tying my shoe laces the right way!"

"Well, we _were_ supposed to be in our dorms." I told them.

The next day went on as normal, almost like nothing had happened. But, today was the first Quidditch match of the season and no one on the Gryffndor team had anytime to think about the near death experience Hermione had last night of the fact Harry and I saved her. Everyone, especially Wood, was concentrating on the match and it had already been forgotten.

I smiled as I walked passed Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they marveled in the Nimbus 2000 someone had purchased for Harry for the match. Maybe they were always destined to be best friends, but no one could notice with Hermione and Ron acting the way they had. I felt proud to be apart of helping her out last night. I knew at that point she'd always be important to me and I'd look after her like I look after Ginny.

I felt this need to protect her now and that's what I swore to do.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game Slytherin versus Gryffindor!" Lee's voice bellowed through the entire Quidditch Pitch. The team mounted our brooms and pushed off into the air.

Sometime later, after all that could have gone wrong, did go wrong, Harry ended up with the Golden Snitch, winning us the game.

"He's got the Snitch!" Lee yells. "Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"

We all landed and ran towards Harry, congratulating him on the impressive catch before checking to see if Wood was alright after the bludger to the stomach.

"I'm good." He told us, although he still looked like he had the wind knocked out of him. "Besides, we won the first game against Slytherin...that's what matters."

"Way to go, Harry!" Angeline exclaimed as she slipped into the girls room to change. Everyone patted Harry on the back as we changed out of our uniforms and into our regular clothes, getting ready to spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Saturday's were mine and George's favorite days of the week. We had all day long to goof off and pull pranks without having to worry about class in between. I went out with George and Harry before he ran off towards Ron. I noticed Hermione greet them not too long afterwards and told George to head up to the common room without me.

"Hey, Hermione!" I called as the three of them began walking towards Hagrid's cabin near the forrest. She turned around and I swear I saw her blush. Great, now a little first year had a crush on me. I mean, I only did save her life.

"Yeah?" She asked as she told Ron and Harry to go off without her.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, Fred." She giggled. "Really. Harry talked to everyone...especially Ron...and told them to be nicer to me."

"I wasn't just talking about that." I whispered. "That troll was frightning...even for me and I've been here for three years."

"I'm just trying not to think about it." She told me, bowing her head in shame. "I shouldn't have been in their all by myself anyway."

"Yeah, well George and I are in the wrong place at the wrong time loads of times." I laughed. "Don't worry, just try not to think about it."

"Fred!" I heard George call from the top of the hill near the castle. "You coming?"

"In a minute!" I told him, turning back to Hermione. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, thanks." She smiled, turning around and running towards Hagrid's. I watched as she met up with my brother and Harry and turned to run up to George George and I, along with Lee, spent the day up in our dorms, trying to perfect an idea we had. Puking Pastals. But, nothing seemed to work and we decided to call a quits before dinner since we'd worked through lunch.

"Fred?" George whispered once everyone else had gone to bed that night.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Why didn't you tell a professor where Hermione was?" He asked. "Why did you go with Harry to go find her?"

"He was afraid it'd be too late and I didn't him to go alone...things would have been much worse."

"But, why not tell Percy or Oliver where she was and send them to find her?"

"I dunno." I shrugged. "Fear and adrenieline kicked in I guess."

"Well next time...don't even think about going after it." He told me. "When you weren't in the common room, I was afraid it had gotten you or something."

"I'll be careful, Georgie." I laughed. "Don't worry."

"I worry all the time, Freddie." He whispered, ending the conversation.

* * *

**Three Years Later**

From that night in the bathroom sparked a strong three year friendship between Hermione and I. I loved her like I loved Ginny and I was sure she love me like the brother she never had. It was nice to sit and talk to her about mature, intelligent things for once. I loved joking and I loved George dearly, but it was nice to just...take a break every once and a while.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione had also grown very, very close. Closer than I thought they would be. I could tell Ron's feelings were growing into 'something more' but he was too scared to say anything to her. He was really just being a big chicken about it, but Mum made me promise not to pressure him about it. I was actually keeping that promise, because I didn't think he was good enough for her.

"Mum, what time is Hermione going to be here?" Ginny asked at the breakfast table one morning as summer wound down and we prepared to go to the World Cup.

"Her mother said around five this evening." She answered her only daughter happily.

"The cup isn't for three days?" I asked since this was the first I was hearing about Hermione coming at all. I thought she'd meet us there.

"I wanted to spend some time with her before hand." Ginny huffed. "Is that okay with you, Fred?"

"I was only asking a question, Gin." I sighed. "Relax, would you?"

"Both of you, hush up." Mum huffed as she spooned more eggs onto Ron's plate.

I hadn't seen Hermione since her parents picked her up at Kings Cross at the end of term, and we'd only gotten in touch a few times. It was difficult with her living in the muggle world with her parents. She was used to picking up the phone, not sending an owl. I could barely contain my excitement as five o'clock neared.

"You okay there, Fred?" George laughed as I watched the front door like she'd appear out of thin air.

"Fine, why?"

"Because you've been sitting there for an hour, just watching the door..."

"I'm excited to see Hermione." I shrugged.

"She's Ginny's for the next few days, mate." He laughed. "Remember that or Ginny will kill you."

"Oh...right." I laughed as I heard a high pitched laugh outside the door. I stood up and ran towards it, opening the door with George and Ginny at my heals. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. She seemed somehow...different. In a very good way. Her body was curvier, her hair was calmer, and her smile was bigger. She wasn't the little witch anymore. The only thing that hadn't really changed was her hair was still in her face, covering her up.

She didn't seem like my little sister anymore.

George had to slap me in the back to get me back to earth.

"Hi, Fred." She whispered, almost at a loss of words.

"Hey." I whispered as I walked up to her and wrapped my arms tightly around her. I never realized how long three months really were until we had to spend them apart. "How are you?"

"Good," She smiled as Ginny pushed me out of the way and grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her into the house. I turned to see George raising his eye brow at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Hey," He mocked in a very dreamy voice.

"I don't sound like that." I told him, slapping him in the arm. "She's like a sister to me."

"Really?" He asked as we headed inside. "You've never said hey like that to Ginny before."

"Shut up, George." I huffed as I saw Ron and Hermione embracing. George had to hold me back. He knew how much I hated the relationship Ron had with Hermione. Only because I figured it'd lead to heartbreak and she didn't deserve that. She deserved way better than my prat of a brother.

"Let it go." George whispered as they let go of each other. I saw the look on Ron's face as he looked her in the eyes.

I couldn't let it go though. They were constantly bickering and although some may have said it was playful banter, I saw it differently. Even though Hermione didn't think of it this way, I always thought it was more like bullying than anything else. As they were heading upstairs, she looked over her shoulder and gave me a nervous wave before Ginny dragged her away.

"Let them have their few days." George told me as he went into the kitchen.

Three days passed and it was finally time for the Quidditch World Cup with dad and the rest of the Weasley's, including Harry who we saved from his awful muggle family a few days ago. Hermione walked side by side as we walked towards our portkey with the Diggory's. We finally found an old boot and were sent flying through the air and landed suddenly with a loud thump as we hit the earth floor.

I stood up and laughed as Hermione struggled to stand with the bag she had slung over her back. I went over and gave her my hand, obviously stealing a moment Ron hoped to claim. She smiled at me as she grabbed it and I was able to stand her up in one swoop.

"Oh so strong." She mocked as she went over to Harry as Cedric helped him off the floor. We jogged up the hill and just starred in disbelief when we saw just how large of an event this truly was. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of tents were set up with people flying around on brooms and running around. Dad lead us towards the middle and finally stopped at an unoccupied tent.

"Here we are." He said, opening the flap and revealing the size of the tent.

I was so thankful to be a wizard. Being a muggle just looked...boring.

At nightfall, we all headed out to the Quidditch Pitch to finally watch the match. George and I put green and white on our faces and grabbed our Irish hats before dad lead us down to the pitch. We were all the way up, the highest seats in the house. But, we could see everything clearly and I wasn't worried about it. We were hear and that's all that mattered.

Soon, Fudge began the game and they were off. It was almost hard to keep up they were flying so fast. But, the Irish won and George and I were happy as we rubbed it in Ron's face since he'd been crushing on Viktor Krum and his Bulgarians.

"There's no one like Krum!" He shouted as we jugged to an Irish song. We just threw a green flag over him, hoping he'd shut up. "He's more than an athlete...he's an artist!"

"It sounds like you're in love, Ron!" Ginny mocked. The four of us began mocking him even further as dad went to go check on the comotion outside the tent. Soon, he came back in a panic and told us we had to leave. We rushed out of the tent and I grabbed Hermione's hand while George grabbed Ginny.

"Who is that?" Harry asked as things became more chaotic.

"Get back to the port key!" Dad ordered. "Fred! George, Ginny is your resposibility!"

"Right," George nodded as he tightened his grip on our little sister.

"Stay together!" He ordered as he rushed off to find some information. As we were running away from the scene, Harry got seporated somehow and it was near impossible to keep my grip on Hermione's hand since she wanted to go back to him. But, there was no time and we'd have to wait until it was safer to go back to find him.

The five of us hid out in the nearby woods until everything died down. We headed back and everything was burnt down and dark. Like evil had truly been here.

"Who were those people?" Ginny asked as she shook with fear. She was refusing to let go of George and I only then realized Hermione and I were still holding hands.

"Death Eaters I think." Ron mumbled. "His follower's."

"Why were they here?" She asked. Ron had just freaked her out even more. She was strong for someone her age, but she was still only thirteen years old and George slapped him upside the head for it.

"It doesn't matter why they were here, Ginny." Hermione sighed. "They're gone now."

"Hermione, we've gotta go find Harry." Ron said as he pulled her away. "Stay here with Ginny."

We stayed where we were, hoping dad would show himself soon so we could get out of this miserable place. Just as we saw a few ministry members appear, a bright green light flashed across the sky, and then...it appears. Ginny grabs us in fear as we stare up at the Dark Mark.

His mark.

"Where did that come from?" Ginny asked in fear as she held onto me tightly. George and I only stared at each other, not knocking what to do.

"_Stupefy!" _I hear being shouted in the distance followed by three screams of fear.

"Hermione!" I yell, letting go of Ginny and running towards the screams.

"Fred!" Both Ginny and George yell at me as I run away, but my fear takes over and I continue running. I heard Dad's voice telling the wizards to stop and then the yelling subsides. I saw Hermione unhurt standing by my brother and Harry and let out a sigh of relief.

"Hermione!" I yelled as I came into view.

"What are you doing, Fred?" She asked.

"Where's Ginny?" Dad asked.

"With George." I sighed. "Are you alright?" I whispered to Hermione and I could feel Ron's eyes on me.

"Fine," She sighed.

"There was a man. Before." Harry spoke up, pointing straight ahead of him right under the dark mark. "There."

"All of you, this way." Barty Crouch ordered as he began walking away.

"A man?" Dad asked. "Harry, who?"

"I dunno." Harry shrugged. "I didn't see his face. Sorry." He whispered as dad followed the ministry official. Hermione began following Ron, but I grabbed her hand, making sure she wasn't going anywhere.

"Fred?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just...glad you're okay." I smiled as I pulled her into a tight hug. "I heard you scream..."

"I'm really okay, Fred." She laughed as she loosened her grip. "Really. You shouldn't worry so much...you're going to get worry lines and that would ruin your pretty little face."

"Nothing could possibly ruin this face, Hermione." I laughed as we followed the others. "Well, George might. He's always been the uglier twin."

"You're hilarious." She laughed as we caught up with the others.


	3. Pointing Me On My Way

**Chapter Three: Pointing Me On My Way**

* * *

**Hermione's POV**

"It's hurting again, isn't it?" I asked Harry as her rubbed his forehead on the Hogwart's Express after the World Cup. "Your scar?"

"I'm fine." He lied. I knew it'd been bothering him since before we even left for school, before the cup even. He wasn't a very good liar, especially when it came to You-Know-Who.

"You know Sirius would want to hear about this." I whispered leaning close to him so no one else would hear. "What you saw at the World Cup and the dream." I told him as I saw a shadow coming towards us. Fred popped his head in the train car and nodded for me to follow. I smiled at him as I stood up to go with him, ignoring Ron's pleaing looks not to go.

"How's Harry?" Fred asked as we walked to where him, Lee and George had been sitting. The car was empty and assumed Lee and George went to go find Angelina. I loved how concerned he was for Harry. It was like my friends were his friends...except for Ron. But, that was a whole other story.

"Fine, I think." I sighed as I sat down next to him. "His scar keeps hurting, but he's ignoring it."

"Why?"

"He doesn't wanna know whats making it hurt so bad." I shrugged. I could tell by the look on his face he didn't just wanna talk to me to talk. Something was on his mind and I wanted him to be able to talk to me about it. "Fred, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?" He lied. Fred was an even worse liar than Harry.

"I can tell when you're lying, Fred." I laughed. "You look at my hairline."

"Hermione, I just want you to be okay this year." He whispered as he grabbed my hand. "I...I know Harry kinda keeps dragging you into things..."

"He doesn't drag me in...I choose to help him because he's my friend and I wanna be there for him." I nearly snapped.

"Okay so you choose to help him...but he's the reason you're put into danger." He sighed and I couldn't deny that. If I wasn't good friends with Harry, then I wouldn't want to help him. I was grateful for his friendship and I wouldn't change anything of our friendship. But, life may be easier if we weren't friends. "What I'm saying I want you to be safe."

"I always am, Fred." I smiled, squeezing his hand. "Besides, I don't think we could possibly get into more trouble."

"I don't know," He laughed. "Anything is possible when it comes to Harry Potter."

"Very true." I giggled as the train slowed down. Once it was stopped, Fred grabbed my hand and pulled me off the train to the platform. When we found George and Harry, we went our seperate ways to get on the carriages. When we reached the castles, we headed up to our dorms to change into our robes for the sorting ceremony began.

I found a seat across from Fred and couldn't help but feel Ron's eyes on us as we talked to each other.

"Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement." Dumbledore's voice roared. "This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well." He told everyone. "You see, Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: the Triwizard Tournament."

"The Triwizard Tournament?" Harry whispered to Ron who shrugged.

"Now, for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete." He explained. "Now let me be clear: if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted," He warned seriously.

"But more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress, Madame Maxime." He introduced as the door opened and a handful of girls in blue basically danced their way into the Great Hall, catching the eyes of all the boys as they passed. I kicked Fred under the table to keep his eyes away from them.

"Sorry," He blushed, but I could see the dumb smile on his face as he slapped George's shoulder.

"What was that for?" He asked as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Like any of those girls would go for you anyway," Fred huffed as I heard Ron 'bloody hell' over the girls passing. "I'm the better looking one...you're just...George." He laughed and all I could do was roll my eyes at them.

"And now, our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their High Master, Igor Karkaroff." Dumbledore introduced as the doors opened again. A group a very large, muscular guys came through down the aisle. I recognized Viktor Krum walking in with them and could help but smile as he passed me. Fred, mocking me, kicking me under the table.

"Not the same thing." I whispered in embaressment. After everyone was settled, the food appeared and the fest began. I spent most of the time talking to Fred...well laughing as him and George made jokes at each other and managed to prank kids from across the hall.

"Your attention, please!" Dumbledore roared as the feast began winding down. "I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"Wicked." Fred and George whispered at the same time, and I knew what was in their heads. They were going to join no matter what.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch." He introduced as Harry and Ron began talking about a scary looking guy standing in the corner. I then recognized him to be Mad-Eye Moody, and ex-auror.

"After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen should be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament. This decision is final." He announced and the hall errupted into a commotion. Students were yelling that it wasn't fair, including Fred and George. But, I was glad of this choice. None of my friends would be able to enter and they'd be safe.

"The Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore revealed after he'd quieted everyone down. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the Tournament, merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly; if chosen there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

"That's almost insulting!" Fred complained as we headed up to the Gryffndor Tower after we'd been let go from the hall. "I am just as good a wizard as a seventeen year old!"

"I know you are Fred, but it does sound really dangerous." I whispered. "I think they made a good choice."

"Would you be...worried about me?" He asked jokingly. Of course I'd be worried about him...I worry about him without a dangerous competition.

"Leave it alone." I heard Harry whisper to Ron as they passed Fred and I. Fred just shook his head, telling me to ignore it...but I couldn't. Ron was so different around me when Fred was around. He was two different people and I just didn't understand why. Fred was his brother...it shouldn't really matter to him if I was friends with him. He was the one who saved my life after all.

"Well, George and I have trouble to get into." Fred laughed as we entered the common room. "Night, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Fred." I laughed. "Now don't be getting into too much trouble."

"Like thats likely to happen!" He yelled as he, Lee, and George raced upstairs. I found a spot on the couch next to Harry and Ron, but Ron was sulking and didn't talk much. It hurt when he got into his moods. Why couldn't it just be simple to be friends with Fred?

* * *

The next day did not go as well as I'd hoped. Moody was there to be our new DADA professor, and he was completely ruthless. Performing the Unforgivable Curses in our class was the worst thing he could have done. And whatever he'd done to Neville really hurt me. Seeing the look on his face and then killing that spider using the killing curse...in front of Harry...made me really wish I didn't have to take that class again.

But, after doing homework with Fred outside for a bit, I felt better. He always had a way of making me laugh, even when I was at my worse. But, he also had a very serious side to him. He listened to me when I was having an issue, held me when I needed someone to cry on, and then he was able to give really good advice.

"Don't let that crazy bastard get to you like that." He whispered as I rested my head on his shoulder. "Show him it won't bother you and that you're strong enough to overcome it."

"But...to do those curse in classes..."

"Was wrong and he'll probably be talked to Dumbledore about it."

"He deserves to be fired."

"Well, he won't be, darling." He chuckled as he kissed the top of his head. "So, let it go and become stronger for it."

"I guess you're right." I sighed as I sat up. We finished our homework before going back inside for our afternoon classes. That night, I headed down to the Great Hall with Harry and Ron to sit by the Goblet and watch people out their names in it. Cedric Diggory was brave enough to put his parchment inside and it made me nervous. Knowing someone who entered just made me nervous...so I was nervous when any Hogwart's student put their name in.

"Yeah!" I heard Fred's voice laugh as he and George ran into the hall. Everyone clapped for them as they held up small flasks full of some liquid.

"Well lads, we've done it." George laughed.

"Cooked it up just this morning." Fred told everyone and I only shook my head at them. They thought an aging potion would help them get into the tournament.

"It's not going to work." I sang as they came closer to me, one on each side.

"Oh, yeah?" Fred asked.

"And why's that, Granger?" George asked.

"You see this?" I asked pointing to the blue line going around the goblet. "This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself.

"So?" Fred asked, mocking me.

"So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dimwitted as an aging potion." I explained.

"Ah," Fred laughed. "But that's why it's so brilliant."

"Because it's so pathetically dimwitted." George told him.

"Ah-hah!" Fred rubbed in as they stood up.

"Ready, Fred?"

"Ready, George?" He asked as they intertwined their arms together, getting ready to drink it.

"Bottoms up!" They laughed as they drank their potion. They hopped over the line and they weren't blasted away...yet. They managed to put their parchment into the goblet and for a second, it seemed like it would work. But, it didn't and it blew them away from the cup, and when I looked over at them, they were covered in white hair. They wanted to be older...they were older.

I shook my head as I opened my text book while they continued to roll around on the ground, fighting with each other. But then, the room grew quiet. I looked up and saw Viktor Krum walking into the Great Hall to place his name in the cup. I couldn't help but smile at him, but without warning, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room.

"What are you doing?" I asked Fred as he pulled me.

"I can't go to the hospital wing myself," Fred told me angrily. But, I couldn't help myself from laughing...he looked so old. "I need you."

"Where's George?"

"Dunno." He sighed. "Hit him with a Stinging Jinx."

"You what?" I snapped as we neared the hospital wing.

"Relax." He sighed. "The swelling will go down...eventually."

"Fred Weasley..." I barked as he opened the door. Madame Pompfry took one look at him and sighed. The twins were in here more than they needed to be due to their pranks and jokes. It was getting out of hand.

"What'd you do this time, Weasley?" She asked as she sat him down on a cot.

"George and I tried to put our names in the Goblet." He said as if he were boasting about it. "It almost worked." He shrugged.

"So, where is your partner in crime?" She asked as the doors slammed open. I looked over and saw George's face, not only old and white...but completely swollen on the left side. It was really getting hard to contain my laugher.

"Right here, Madame!" George yelled as he charged after fred, but I put up a shield spell to keep them from going at each other.

"Thank you, Miss Granger." Madame Pompfry sighed. She was able to get their faces back to normal as well as got the swelling to go down on George's face, but she couldn't completely help him there. Only time would actually let him go back to normal.

"You two haven't spoken a word since she got you back to normal." I sighed as we walked back to the common room.

"We will, Hermione." Fred nearly barked. I backed off because I knew they didn't need help mending their relationship and they'd be on to their next prank any second now. They ran up to their dorm as soon as we walked through the portrait and I found Harry and Ron sitting by the fire.

"Are dumb and dumber back to normal?" Ron laughed as I sat across from him. I glared at him and he soon shut up about it. Fred came down a few mintes later with George at his side, laughing like nothing happened. He caught my eyes and motioned for me to follow him and I excused myself from HArry and Ron and followed him out of the porthole.

"What's up?" I asked as we sat down on the steps together.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." He whispered, grabbing my hand.

"I'm fine, Fred." I lied. The truth was, he really did scare me when he showed up to put his name in the cup. I didn't want him, or George for that matter, getting involved and I had a moment of weakness and actually believed their aging potion would work. My heart was racing harder than ever for the five seconds their name was in the cup.

"You're good at many things, Hermione," He laughed. "But lying isn't one of them."

"Okay, I thought the aging potion might work." I admitted. "I mean, I knew it wouldn't but you had some pretty good logic to back you up and...had a moment of weakness."

"Why is believing in me a 'moment of weakness?'"

"Not believing in you, but believing Dumbledore could have overlooked an aging potion." I told him. "I doubted his ability, not yours."

"Yeah, well it didn't work."

"That isn't the point, Fred, and you know it." I cried. "This tounement...people die in it. Young witches and wizards who haven't even lived yet. You're only sixteen and if it were to work and you would have gotten picked...and gotten seriously hurt or..." I stopped to take a deep breath. "Killed, I don't know what I would do."

"Hey, hey," He whispered, bringing me into a tight hug. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going anywhere."

"You and George are always putting yourself in danger." I cried. "How do I know you aren't going to...hurt yourself?"

"You have to trust our ability." He laughed. "The worst thing that's happened is we've been knocked out a few times. Nothing major."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Fred." I sniffled as he tightened his grip on me. "You're..."

"I know, Hermione." He smiled, kissing the top of my head. "I know."

"Please don't scare me like that again."

"Can't make any promises."

"Fred."

"Okay, I'll try not to scare you like that again." He told me. "Deal?"

"Deal."

"Now, lets get you back to the common room before Ron sends a search party for you."

"He probably doesn't even realize I'm gone." I cried as Fred helped me up. "So, it's not a big deal."

"Hermione, do you not see the way he looks at you?" He asked in disbelief. "He likes you."

"I think that aging potion messed with your head." I laughed as he said the password, letting us inside. I found Ron and Harry where I left them and George went up to his dorm with George. He gave me a wink before going upstairs and for the first time since we became friends, I blushed and butterflies began fluttering in my stomach.

Fred Weasley wasn't the dorky, awkward kid anymore.

He was a good looking sixteen year old...man.


End file.
